Turkey: time for world probe into Saudi writer's death

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's foreign minister says the time has come for an international investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Mevlut Cavusoglu told A Haber television on Thursday that the issue would be taken up with U.N. Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Execution, Agnes Callamard, during her visit next week.

The minister also suggested that many countries were trying to "efface" the killing to shield Saudi Arabia.

The Washington Post columnist, who wrote critically about the Saudi crown prince, was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October.

Riyadh has indicted 11 people over the killing and is seeking the death penalty against five of them. Critics see the move as an effort to distance the crown prince from the killing.

FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 file photo, a man enters Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said late Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 that Turkey is preparing to take steps to launch an international investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post columnist, who wrote critically about the Saudi crown prince, was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis,File)